Thursday, November 12, 2026

8:30 AM—2:00 PM

High school writers! Would you like to spend a day on the campus of the University of Iowa—the Writing University—taking creative writing classes with graduates of our renowned writing MFA programs? Would you like to learn more about genres you’re interested in, develop your craft, and meet other high school writers like yourselves?

We invite you to apply to the University of Iowa’s High School Creative Writing Conference. The conference will be held on Thursday, November 12, 2026 on the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City, Iowa. Conference participants will have the opportunity to take several short classes on different genres and aspects of creative writing—think fiction writing, poetry, nonfiction writing, TV writing, playwriting, translation—and to enjoy the beauty and vitality of the Writing University campus.

Space in the conference will be limited. Applicants will be required to fill out a short application form, submit a statement of intent, and submit a brief statement of support from an English or creative writing teacher.

There is no cost to attend. Lunch will be provided.

We will begin accepting applications for the conference in early September 2026. Please complete this survey if you would like to be notified when the application period opens. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with questions at iyws@uiowa.edu.

We hope to see you on campus in the fall!